This year is in its final stretch, but Action Society continues to put the same amount of pressure on the courts as we did at the beginning of the year. We have gained a lot of momentum from the many victories we enjoyed this year, and we will continue to fight for those who lack the resources to do it themselves. During October and November, we continued to fight for victims of violent and sexual crimes.
MITCHELLS PLAIN MAGISTRATES COURT
*Iris: Raped by mother’s ex-husband
Action Society was approached by the mother of a 15-year-old girl who was being raped by the mother’s ex-husband from a very young age. He allegedly raped her while he was giving her a bath. The matter was heard in court on 4 November 2024 and has been postponed to 20 November 2024 for plea and trial.
Firdous Kleinschmidt: Killed by a stray bullet
More than ten months have passed since a stray bullet killed 13-year-old Firdous Kleinschmidt while she was awaiting transport from her school. Action Society first attended the case against the man who killed this innocent girl from Mitchells Plain in January 2024, and it has been an uphill battle for justice since then. The matter was heard in court on 14 November 2024 and postponed to 15 January 2025, when the trial will finally commence, a year after her murder.
Lekesha Marthinus: Killed after a beer bottle was thrown at her head
Action Society is pleased that the murder case of Lekeasha Marthinus is back on the court roll after it was temporarily withdrawn due to an outstanding post-mortem report. She was killed on 5 November 2022 by her boyfriend, who fatally threw a beer bottle at her head. At the time of her murder, she was holding her then nine-month-old baby. The matter was heard in court on 15 November 2024 and postponed until 22 November 2024 for the accused’s first appearance in the Mitchells Plain Regional Court. The 5th of November 2024, marked two years since her murder.
KHAYELITSHA REGIONAL COURT
*Dahlia: Raped by her stepfather
Action Society continued the fight for justice for Dahlia, a 19-year-old girl from Harare who was raped in May 2024. Her rapist, who is both her stepfather and a local pastor, was granted bail of only R1 500 on 24 June 2024. The matter was heard in court on 5 November and was postponed to 23 January 2025 for trial.
Churchgoers raped and assaulted:
Nineteen women from Khayelitsha were sexually assaulted in church on Easter Sunday in 2023 while preparing for the service. Two men entered the church and forced the women to undress and perform sexual acts whilst beating them. The matter was heard in court on 5 November 2024 and was postponed for trial on 20, 21, 27 and 30 January 2025. Numerous witnesses are expected to testify.
Thimna Kuze: Young girl found dead in a shack
The murder case of Thimna Kuze continued on 13 November 2024. Thimna, a 13-year-old girl from Khayelitsha, was murdered on 25 March 2023, and her family is still waiting for justice. The young girl slept over at a friend’s house and was found dead a day later in a shack with blood in her nose, mouth and groin area. At the last appearance, the case was postponed until 28 November 2024 after the accused indicated he now wanted to change his legal representative to someone who could speak Xhosa.
Nosiphiwo James: Stabbed to death with a screwdriver
It has been two and a half years since Nosiphiwo James was killed. The matter was heard in court on 12 November 2024, and it was postponed until 11 December 2024 for the defence attorney to agree on a date for the trial to continue.
PAROW REGIONAL COURT
*Granny Azalea: Elderly lady abused by family member
A house in Langa in Cape Town became another scene of terrible elder abuse at the hands of a close family member who ransacked her home and verbally threatened to kill her. Action Society received a mandate to defend her cause in the courts. The grandson was arrested on 12 July 2024 and appeared before the Bishop Lavis Magistrates Court. The matter was heard again in court on 5 November, where his bail of R500 was paid. Since then, the grandson apologised to his grandmother and paid to repair all the damage he caused. Action Society welcomes this step of remorse from the grandson.
MALMESBURY REGIONAL COURT
Malmesbury monster: Action Society wants to see him removed from society
Action Society continues to push for a man accused of molesting three children in Malmesbury to be permanently removed from society. The case has been particularly frustrating as the accused has slipped through the cracks multiple times. He was first arrested in 2021 but was let go on a warning. In the meantime, two years later, the accused bought himself time by changing lawyers on three different occasions. Action Society has been pushing to get him admitted to the Valkenberg Psychiatric Hospital to evaluate if he is fit to stand trial. The matter was heard on 8 November 2024 and was postponed to 9 December 2024 for possible placement at Valkenberg. He is 14th on the list for placement at the time of publication.
PAARL MAGISTRATES COURT
Asiphe Cetywayo: Body thrown in a dumping site
Herdsman found Asiphe’s mutilated body at the Vlakkeland dumping site on Monday, March 4, 2024. The 22-year-old student was raped and murdered the previous day, and her body was severely burnt with acid. The matter was heard in court on 12 November 2024, where bail was denied for one of the accused, and the next court date is scheduled for 25 February 2025.
BELLVILLE REGIONAL COURT
Aaliyah Chingy: Body tossed in a shallow grave
The murder case of Aaliyah Chingy continued its uphill battle as her family and friends remained determined to see her killer behind bars for life. On 12 February 2023, her body was found tossed in a shallow grave, covered in multiple stab wounds. Just like in Siphokazi Booi’s case, the man accused of killing her was her romantic partner at the time, and there was a history of abuse in their relationship. It went unreported until it was too late. The matter was heard in court on 13 November 2024 and was postponed to 22 January 2025 for a new trial date to be determined.
BLUE DOWNS MAGISTRATES COURT
*Poppy: Molested by creche transport driver
Action Society is outraged by the case of Poppy, a four-year-old girl from Mfuleni in the Western Cape who was molested by an older creche transport driver in October 2024. According to the mother, the young girl is deeply scarred by the event and cries at night. The matter was heard in court on 14 November 2024, where the community protested against bail, and has been postponed to 15 January 2025 for further investigation.
VREDENDAL MAGISTRATES COURT
*Granny Blossom: 71-year-old grandmother raped by grandson
In another attack on the vulnerable, a 71-year-old woman from Strand was raped by her grandson on 13 August 2024. The grandmother died less than a month later from natural causes. The suspect, a 27-year-old man, has opted to abandon his bail application and will remain in custody to face a charge of rape. The matter was heard in court on 14 November 2024 and has been postponed to 30 January 2025 for a regional court date.
*Pseudonyms are used in some of the cases to protect the identity of the victim
